Moto Z2 Play: Motorola’s premium mid-range improves on almost everything, less on autonomy

Motorola’s mid-range increased with the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus earlier this year, but the company still has more bullets in the room and just shot one that has been talked about for some time. This is the Moto Z2 Play, the successor to the supergamamedia we met last year at IFA and this year comes sooner.

As we saw last year, the Z Play series is responsible for bringing the concept of Moto Mods to the intermediate segment of the brand’s catalog and Moto Z2 Play follows the wake of the first model, but with interesting improvements in points such as Camera, design or memory. In addition, comes from the hand of new Moto Mods. We tell you all about the Moto Z2 Play.

Unibody metal costume and a more integrated fingerprint reader

Image Source: Google Image

At first glance, the Moto Z2 Play follows a rather continuist design line, but if we look more closely, there are important changes, the first affects the materials. The first Moto Z Play already had a metal structure, but the rear was covered in glass. In this case Lenovo opts for an aluminum chassis made in one piece. Available colors are dark gray with black front, silver with white front and gold also with white front.

If you look at the rear, in addition to aluminum, we also have the connector for the Moto Mods and the camera, which again comes out of the chassis again, and is that in Lenovo remain committed to bet on thinness and the new model is makes even thinner (5.99 mm) -even if it means sacrificing autonomy, but that’s what we’ll talk about later.

Another detail that has changed in the design is the fingerprint reader. It’s back on the front, but finally Lenovo leaves that square shape so unflattering to bring us an oval reader that integrates much better in the chassis. This detail has already been released with the Moto G5 and, judging by the leaks, will be extended by the rest of its catalog. A notable detail is that the fingerprint reader, in addition to unlocking, also accepts gestures to move through the interface.

With regard to size, failing to confirm the exact dimensions, we continue to see the same trend of last year. With a Super AMOLED FullHD screen of 5.5 inches and quite prominent frames, the Moto Z2 Play is closer to the concept of phablet. This is a delicate point due to the Moto Mods, and is that to be compatible with all models, these need to have a size, not accurate, but rather fairly close.

Speaking of Moto Mods, the Moto Z2 Play comes from GamePad, an accessory that turns the terminal into a kind of console control and adds 1035 mAh. It also comes with a new JBL speaker, wireless charger and more Moto Style Shells.

Moto Z2 Play: Technical Specifications

Image Source: Google Image

Inside, the Moto Z2 Play comes with some interesting improvements. The processor is a Snapdragon 626, a slight improvement over last year’s Snapdragon 625, but it scores a bit with 4 GB of RAM, compared to 3 GB of the first model. It also increases the internal memory from 32 to 64 GB.

The cameras are another of the points where the Moto Z2 Play is ahead of its predecessor. As we saw in the Moto G5 Plus, the sensor lowers resolution, in this case from 16 to 12 megapixels, but introduces a more advanced focusing system and a brighter lens. In this case, Lenovo raises the bet with a system of hybrid approach that fuses the technology Dual Pixel and laser approach and that, according to the mark, can focus objects to five meters of distance and in almost total darkness.

With regard to the lens, the Moto Z2 Play offers an aperture f / 1.7 and next to it has been placed a dual tone LED flash. By the way, the front camera also expands the aperture (f / 2.0) and adds a two-tone LED flash to improve nighttime selfies.

Where there are no improvements, but rather the opposite, it is on the battery. The model last year had a battery of 3510 mAh, but this year the capacity has been reduced to 3000 mAh. Despite this clear decrease, Lenovo continues to emphasize the autonomy of this model, ensuring that it offers up to 30 hours in duration, although we have our doubts, mainly because the brand also highlights the benefits of the Moto Power Pack, an accessory with battery of 2200 MAh, a detail that seems to be telling us that we will not have enough with the built-in battery. Of course, what have not been left along the way are the TurboPower fast charge nor the USB-C connectors and minijack.

Image Source: Google Image

As for the software, Lenovo is still betting on a version of Android practically clean, which in this case comes in version 7.1.1 Nougat. The company simply includes some features they call ‘Moto Experiences’ like gestures to open the camera or notifications onscreen. In this case, it also comes with the Night Display mode to reduce the blue light of the screen and a new option called Moto Voice with which we can control the mobile with the voice.

Next, we leave you with a table of specifications in which we face the new Moto Z2 Play with its predecessor so that you can compare all the changes.

Moto Z2 Play: Price and availability

The Moto Z2 Play has been announced in Brazil. The terminal will reach more countries later this month, although Lenovo has not specified the price, only in the case of the United States we know it will cost $499.